‘A Strange Loop’ review: Pain with a side of anguish on Broadway
nypost.com“Ouch!” is the main takeaway of the intriguing, autobiographical new musical “A Strange Loop,” which opened Tuesday night on Broadway.
It’s blow after blow after blow. And then some metaphorical slaps, kicks and scratches for good measure. There’s so much pain felt by the main character that you leave gravely concerned for the emotional well-being of the man who wrote and inspired him.That would be writer-composer Michael R.
Jackson, whose likable creation Usher (Jaquel Spivey) is a stand-in for himself at a godawful point in his life — age 25. (One would hope that having a show on Broadway has improved things somewhat.)One hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.
At the Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St.Usher pays his Queens rent by working unenthusiastically as a front-of-house employee at a Disney theater, attempting to write a musical about writing a musical (this one) and struggling with being black and gay — romantically and with his religious family, who constantly call and derisively ask if he has HIV yet.Usher — donning a red uniform or T-shirt — speaks and sings, mainly, to a chorus of his thoughts played by six energetic, chameleon actors: L Morgan Lee, James Jackson, Jr., John-Michael Lyles, John-Andrew Morrison, Jason Veasey and Antwayn Hopper.
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